But I Still Want You {Taekook}

20. Jeongguk

The first week, Taehyung spent almost every night at Jeongguk's place, visibly elated, and while Jeongguk enjoyed it a lot, he couldn't help but wait for the other shoe to drop. Even when they showed up together the next Saturday at the bar, and told all their friends that they were together - up until then, only Jimin knew, and probably Yoongi, because Jimin was a bit of a tattletale - seeing everyone cheer for them and raising glasses to celebrate, Jeongguk still felt insecure.

It wasn't going to go away so soon, of course; he'd had four months of bliss with Taehyung in high school before his world suddenly shattered, so four months would be the first stage, the bare minimum for him to relax, he thought.

But of course, Taehyung understood, and every time Jeongguk felt crushed by the weight of his fear, he was there to close the gap and reassure him.

It was weird, getting to know Taehyung again. As could be expected, he'd changed too, over the past seven years. Jeongguk had been actively trying to avoid forming a bond with the new Taehyung up until now, closing off whenever he mentioned something personal about him during the gym sessions, never reciprocating the desperate attempts at conversation that Taehyung was single-handedly kindling, or even snapping at him for trying.

Now, though, he was more than happy to listen to Taehyung's tales from university, the stories of his drinking nights with Jimin, or about his job in a Gucci store, which he didn't know about until now - at least, it explained why he owned so many Gucci shirts - and everything else in between.

The nicest thing, though, was rediscovering the old Taehyung, the one Jeongguk knew and fell in love with in high school (because, no matter what he'd said to him at the time of their breakup, he did love Taehyung a terrifying amount back then).

The quirky, eccentric Taehyung who never did anything like anyone else, but to whom he still felt so attuned. The Taehyung who spoke to angels to win a game of chance. That Taehyung was still there, and Jeongguk loved him.

So everything was progressing smoothly, albeit slowly, until one day.

It was a hot Sunday in stifling August, and Jeongguk and Taehyung, both having a day off, were planning to go to the cinema and then to the restaurant, a perfect date.

One of Taehyung's strange rules was that Jeongguk wasn't allowed to see him before a date, so he could dazzle him when he showed up all dressed up. Which was why Jeongguk was waiting for him in front of the cinema, when he heard a woman's voice say his name from further away.

"Hey, isn't that Jeon Jeongguk? Taehyungie's boyfriend from high school?"

Jeongguk turned immediately toward the voice and froze. There, a few feet away, were two of Taehyung's former friends from high school, the ones he always hung out with, the ones who had dared him to go out with Jeongguk so he could better dump his ass later.

Jeongguk didn't know their names, but he vividly remembered their faces; they were the prettiest ones, a girl and a boy. The girl had long, shiny black hair and a beautiful face, with eyes of a startling light brown color. The guy had such delicate features that he looked like a model. Even in high school, they were the it couple, making people swoon with admiration and envy everywhere they went.

When the girl saw Jeongguk staring at her and understood he'd heard her, she put her hands in front of her mouth with a little gasp, embarrassed. Her boyfriend rolled his eyes, grabbed her hand, and started walking towards Jeongguk, who immediately panicked.

Why were they coming his way? Did they want to talk to him? Granted, it would be rude to not at least acknowledge him, since the girl had just shouted his name, but what were they going to say?